March/April Thread #3

[Colesmom]

Hey girls.  I have yet another Q for today and a rant.

How many of you have given your lo tylenol for teething without consulting your ped? 

RANT: I called today because I wanted to be sure it was okay I continue giving it to Cole.  It's been about 8 days and I give him 2-3 doses a day.  Last week I was giving it during last feed to let it kick in for bed but I felt bad doing that in case he didn't need it.  Anyway, I called them and they said I shouldn't be giving it without having him checked first.  Can you imagine the doctors offices if everyone had their baby checked for teething?  Okay, I realize they have to be thorough, but come on, I think it's ridiculous.  Anyway, made an appt for monday.  She made me feel so bad that I didn't give it to him for bed.  We had a half hour battle and I even tried to hold him to sleep.  It was now 4.5 hours A time.  The only thing that worked was tylenol then holding him.  It has to be teeth, or maybe ears.  maybe ears but he has no fever.  checked yesterday when his nose started running. 

anyway, is it wrong that I give it without doctors consent?  It's not around the clock or anything, just when he's not settling and I know I've done and covered all other bases.

[james030405]

Hi guys, 

Traci:  I use a cup brand called Pigeon (they are the same brand as the bottles I was using).  He can hold them himself.  They have a valve and he has only recently been able to suck out of them as they are quite hard.  It helps though if we are running late for lunchand I am out, I can give him the milk and he can drink it in the car.      I also give it to him straight out of the fridge cold as it has been hot here.  I think he is preferig this to being warmed up.  I still give it warm at night though.  If he is drinking water I try and give it to him out of a cup, but I also have another Pigeon brand for 8mth + which has a straw.  He is doing well with this, but as it comes out faster than with a valve he coughs and splutters a little. 

I know what you mean about "growing up too fast".  I book a holiday at the beach before he was born and thought at 8mths he would be sitting and MAYBE crawling.  So we have a balcony.  Now he is cruising everywhere, pulling hinmself up on everything.  I way over-estimated his abilities. 

I found out James was a boy.  I wanted to but also at his ultrasound picture, he wasn't hiding anything.  Even to the untrained eye, you could tell.  We both wanted a boy, I am too much of a tomboy myself to have a girl.  IF we have another one, I would like another boy.

Food wise, I give James a lot of what we are eating.  His favourite at the moment is pork mince, potato and spinach.  I have the recipe if anyone wants it.  The last 3 mornings he has woken up at 6:30, 6:00 and 6:30am which is about half to an hour later than usual.  I think it is (or I am hoping it is) because I am giving him his dinner at 5:30pm instead of 5.00. I guess we will have to see how it goes. 

Sorry for another long post ladies.   :oops: I just get carried away here.

Chat soon

Lisa mum to James my textbook/spirited koala bear

[Jayri]

traci don't worry about giving cole tylenol without your ped's okay. Thrust yourself as a mum, if they say to check him out first, then waht do you do at 3am if he wakes all in pain!!!! I think as long as you don't exceed the daily dosage it will be fine.
Well my first week ended fine, I had a test today, basically putting it all together, and I checked my results online and for the week my grade was 81%, I am still a little shocked. They say the reason they have the grades is to see what you do and don't understand. For all you canadians, what i do is work for rbc, and take reservations in canada and the us when people call in to redeem their points using their avion cards or any other rbc reward credit card.
well girls, Iam off to make a cup of tea and I will see you in the chat in a few minutes....

[Judy]

Lisa - LOL at the poo story.  I would be dry heaving like your DH. Leaks are a big fear for me but I know I'm going to have many opportunities to get over it.  Eh, Judy  :wink: Toooo funny!

YUP    In fact we ate too many fruit cups and baby cereal yesterday and very little big person food - which equalled out to not being able to dash fast enough and a pair of panties that got tossed in the diaper pail.  Sometimes it's just easier on all of us to throw them out!!

Sex of the baby - we had a bunch of u/s with K&H so yes we found out.  Tried to find out with Zoe but she wouldn't completely reveal - although dh felt he saw it in the u/s even though the tech wasn't sure.  He figured being a guy he was better at knowing when he was seeing girl parts :oops:.  Sarah I tried to find out (dh didn't come to the few u/s I had b/c of SARS here) but again they were never quite sure which was ok b/c dh didn't want to know.

Tylenol - don't use it unless my children have more than a low grade fever and I can't get it down with homeopathic remedies.  But I also wouldn't feel the need to call my pedi to see if it was ok either.

[sophieandhannah]

Just have to say thanks for the chat tonight.  I really needed to laugh.  I especially enjoyed the poo phobia talk and the creative names that were made up for what that particular phobia would be called. 
I know, I know, I just can't let it go.
(Some people would call me anal )
Enough already!
Have great weekends ladies.
Hannah

[Nikki~Nathan&Danielle]

Wow, 12hrs since I checked in and there are no new posts!  :lol:

Thanks for the short chat yesterday girls, unfortunately being a Saturday at 3pm we wait for D to wake, feed and then go out.  But I will definitely try and check in every week anyhow.   

Grrr, had the kids dressed up in nice clothes this morning to take a nice photo to send out to family and the battery went flat!  I don't have a 2nd battery and it can't charge and be used at the same time.  Grrr.  I just had Nathan co-operating too by saying it was for Santa and for the first time in ages he was happy to sit and not be silly in front of the camera.  :wink:  :roll:

Right, off to put up the tree today.

[Arwyn's mom]

Hey Nikki... I thought the same thing! And we are putting up the tree today too... it's finally not dripping wet anymore.

On the weekends, I ask DH to feed Arwyn lunch. She has been cooperating better lately if she has her toy. Check out the device DH invented... he managed to get almost 3.5 oz of prunes into her this way!  :lol:

BTW, she better poo! Papaya and prunes for lunch!

[kq]

LOL Ankie!    
We are off to a Santa  parade so will post later.
Karen

[Taylor's Mommy]

Hi Girls-

lots to cover!  First the chat last night was fun...love the poo phobia talk to and the Judy's life as a credit card commercial! :lol:

Judy-I hope you don't mind but after reading your pee before 7 am story, I told the girls last night at chat that your life with teh girls would make a perfect "priceless" commercial.  So goes something liek this: "ticket for granny to come visit 4 granddaughters, $500; rental car $200; seeing your granddaughter pee on the floor and dance around in it, all before 7 am, PRICELESS!" :lol:  :lol:   I LOVE to hera your stories and although I'm sure your house is crazy a lot of the time, it sounds liek it is filled with so much love!  :wink:

Hannah-I know the topic has been covered alraedy, but HUGS to you.  I think you do owe it to yourself to go back and give it a whirl.  ANd if it ends up being too much and too hard, have faith that you and DH will find a way for it to work.  I say all the time that if things go down hill in the $$$ department, I'm going to work part time as a Barrista at Starbucks!  :lol:

Traci-We use a humidifier (warm air vaporizer to be exact) and it does help.  Funny story actually, last night after our dr.'s visit and she told us to contine to use the humidifier at all times until the cold is over, we get it all ready.  I told DH to put some salt in it to help with the steam so he does and comes back and plugs it in.  After I got off teh chat I go into her room to check on her and the thing is going NUTS!  there is so much friggin steam coming out of this thing you can't even see in her room! :shock:   So I ask DH, how much salt did you put in there?  He said about 2 tablespoons!  I said I told you just a pinch!!!   :lol:  I thougth it was so funny I had to come back on and tell the girls in the chat room.

lots mor to cover still...but gotta go clean the house for our company tonight!

[kate585]

Huge (((hugs))) to Hannah, Erin, and Traci.  I think everyone's said what I would have (if I were so eloquent, that is) but wanted to send more hugs to my girls!

We decided not to find out the sex of our baby...I was sure it was a boy for the first half or so.   We couldn't decide on a girl's name and all the sudden I was sure it was a girl, so we picked a name (Caroline Lorra after my Granny Lorraine) and then I immediately said, "Well, that's good to have, but I'm sure it's a boy!"  Dh and I were really excited to have a boy...carrying on the family name and all that!  But, I am pining for a baby girl next time...although 2 brothers to entertain each other might be nice as they hit that 7-8 year old phase.  Hmmmm.

WARNING:  Pity Party Ahead!
I am totally out of steam over here, ladies.  You know we've been having trouble and I had been nursing to calm and then off to sleep.  Well, I decided last night that it was enough.  I actually fed at 12:30 and when he woke at 1, I decided he couldn't be hungry.  Did pu/pd for an HOUR.  Ugggh.  Dh was there to talk to him and I was the putter downer.  Exhausing.  Couldn't go back to sleep.  Finally did and he woke back up at 3.  Pu/pd for about 7 mins.  Hooray!  Couldn't fall back to sleep b/c my neighbor was blasting music and we could hear it.   :evil:   I finally went over there  :shock:  at 4:00.  Had to ring the doorbell and knock a lot and some random guy answers the door with pants but not shirt.  Guess I interupted her evening...not that I care.  Finally, get back in bed and am trying to calm down and sleep when....you guessed it, Ryan is up at 4:10.  Pu/Pd for another HOUR.  Dh is really starting to question it at this point. Ryan then slept from 5:10 or so until 8:30.  Yeah!  What a night. 

Then, today...first nap, great (90 min.)  2nd nap...another HOUR of pu/pd.   :cry:   (He is at 30 mins. now, which is all I go out of yesterday's nap # 2..keep your fingers crossed!)  Dh has really lost interest in this method at this point..."It obviously doesn't work."  I'm trying not to smack him in front of the baby and tell him thanks for helping, I'll finish on my own, which I do.  It is so exhausing (especially on little to no quality sleep) but I know it will work and that it won't work in one or two nights.  Any suggestions for how to get dh on board...he read the section of the book for 8-12 mo. olds for pu/pd, but I think he needs to read the whole chapter to get a better idea.  *btw, there is a 9 mo. growth spurt, according to BWSAYP, so could that be it?  And, if so, should I be feeding him?  Ugggh!*  He is sort of like, "If he's going to SCREAM (Traci, you were right about this!   :cry: ) and cry, we might as well just leave him to it."  But, aside from the fact that we don't do it like that, he can pull himself up now and it's hard to let him fuss it out at the beg. of nap while he is standing  up...can't get down yet.   :roll:

So, that's been my last few days...I'm trying to be strong, b/c I don't want to do this again anytime soon.  I think I'll post on the sleep board (copy and paste from here, since I'm too tired to retype!) to see if there are suggestions from some moms of older kids.  This stinks!

[Erin M]

Oh Kate, ((((hugs))) to you.  I don't really have any suggestions though, except to stick with it.  Seems like all of us go through rough patches here and there and consistency will get you everywhere.  Katie didn't sleep at all through our Thanksgiving trip to the ER and the subsequent ear infections, but she's mostly back to normal now.  DH's solution to Katie waking at night is to tuck her into bed squashed up next to me because he's afraid of having her sleep too close to him (he thinks he might squash her) -- meanwhile, this after about only 10 minutes of trying to get her back to sleep....and I wonder why I ever bother making him try to deal with her in the middle of the night.  Pardon the mini-rant!  I do hope things get better by you soon.

Ankie - love the new pictures!  I do agree, all the babes are starting to look so much older.  Hope Arwyn is continuing to do better.

Nikki - love the new Avatar - Nathan looks so much older!

Andrea - If you go work as a Barrista, you get benefits!  It's true - Starbucks is supposedly a really good company to work for for that reason.  (I've threatened in the past!)

Got some Christmas pics done today.  Will post when I get them on the computer!  Thanks all for the sympathies on the ring, but saldy it is nowhere to be found.  We have looked high, low, here, there, and everywhere.  DH says it's ok since he always meant to get me a nicer one anyway.  He is wonderful, despite my occassional complaints.

[B&BMommy]

Hope everyone is having a good weekend. We had two great naps from Brady today, just had to share, its not ususal as you all know, I've been 8.5 months with little naps and sleepless nights, so today was great!  2.0 hour morning nap, which we had to wake him from, and 1.5 hour afternoon nap which we had to wake him from. And....then to bed tonight at 8 pm, and fell asleep within 15 minutes on his own, YIPPEE!!!!!  I"m dancing on air here!

LONG VENT:

Just need to vent about a few things though if its okay....don't know who else to tell....family wise/health wise things are a bit rough, and I'm totally stressed out. as you know my sister has not been well, she's having a huge problem with her kidneys, not doing well at all, and then to top it off, my dad is not well, sadly he won't share with us what it is totally, as he always thinks he needs to support everyone else, all we know is he's seeing doctors weekly, and that he is on heart medication.....and apparently I looked at the bottle and did some research, and they don't give you this med unless you've had a heart attack, is it possilbe this has happened, and we didn't know it?? My father is overweight, drinks a lot of beer, doesn't eat well, except junk food, and thinks he's invinceable....he can over come anything. I'm sooo worried about him right now too.....

Sorry for such a long post/vent, I just needed to get it all out there.....

bfn

Holly - Mom of Brady - Our Touchy/Spirited/Textbook Little Boy - Born March 20 2005

[Olivia's Mommy]

{{HUGS}}}}} to all of you needing it, especially Kate and Holly.

Kate--don't really know what to tell you except to hang in there and stick with it. As Tracy says, it takes at least 3 days to form a habit/change a pattern, and sometimes longer when they're older. I echo the advice to remain consistent with it. I know it's not easy, but it will be worth it in the end. Have you noted how long you do PU/PD each time to chart your progresss?

Holly--I'm so sorry to hear about your family's health issues. I will be praying for Brady and for your sis and dad. Please keep us posted and let us know how Brady's dr visit goes.

I love hearing all the fun things you're all doing with your LOs for the holidays: photo sessions, parades, tree trimming. Anyone else doing anything fun?

[mickymuscles]

hi girls!

quick post...(((((hugs))))))) to holly, kate, traci, hannah, and erin.....actually ((((((((hugs))))))) to everyone!!!  seems like we are needing one lately.

I had tons of fun on the chat last night.....thought i would post a pic of DH playing drums with Jack...

[Judy]

Andrea I love that commercial idea!!!   Too funny.

Ankie - your dh is a genius!!  I love that!

The drummer - TOO COOL!!

We put our tree up this weekend - well I put it up and Zoe decorated it... so 95% of our decorations are all on the bottom 3ft at the front.  It actually leans!!   I love it.  And she's SO THRILLED. She opened up all the ornaments and kept yelling "OOOOH I love it!!"   Sarah, she loves to plug and unplug the lights (I know, not so safe :oops:) and pull off ornaments once in a while.  It's an artificial tree so today she realized if she unplugged the lights then walked with them in hand around the tree it would spin.  Ok so not such a good idea because all the ornaments are at the front only!! Not to mention if could topple!  So I put the cord into the branches to hide it and said no more light till daddy comes home and figures out how to solve this issue

The girls are really starting to miss daddy.  Zoe's doing pretty good - I mean she's missing him but not going on about it as she understands our countdown calendar and such but Sarah says now and again "want daddy NOW!"

Anyway I'm going to scoot out quickly and get to bed early tonight - K&H are just up TOO early and with Sarah feeling stressed she tends to have loud dreams which send me running to her only to find her asleep - about every hour all night long